Time Heals Almost Every Wound
by maximumdance
Summary: She didn't know who she was anymore. Neither did he. The seventh year after the war proofs to be anything but normal. Can some timedust fix things for a bookworm and a former Death Eater? 1stfic, Rated M for adult language and themes, a bit OOC. Dramione
1. A Beautiful Lie

**Ok im just testing the waters so here we go! xD**

_**Disclaimer**_: _I do not own or have the rights to any of the characters used in this fic or the original plotline, everything belongs to JKR._

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><p>The girl hurried through the narrow corridor of the Hogwarts Express. Her eyes swept through compartment after compartment filled to the brim with young people of all ages dressed in long dark robes that revealed that they were students at Hogwarts School for witchcraft and wizardry. They would all in only an hour or so arrive at the ancient school to begin the first school year since the Great War against Voldemort.<p>

The girl pulled a hand through her long chestnut brown hair, a habit she acquired recently since she had let it grow over the summer. Who needed anti-frizz spells when you could just tame it with its own length? The movement was a bit jerky and stressed out and almost made her drop the cauldron cakes she held in her other hand.

She stopped to balance up her burden and decided to press them down her bag instead.

The compartment she had stopped outside of was full and all its residents stopped their conversations when they saw her through the window. A third year from Hufflepuff hugged a little girl protectively, who looked at her from under her lashes, her eyes wide as teacups. Two fifth years, one from Gryffindor and the other Ravenclaw, gawked at her dumbfounded.

This scenario was repeated through the entire train as she moved further and further back. All ages mixed within all the four houses, all of them had smiled to her gratefully and shouted encouraging words as she rushed by, or stared at her like she had grown tentacles out of her nose.

She was after all the fourth most famous person in all of the wizarding community nowadays. She could definitely do without the extra attention. She had enough on her plate at the moment and thought for the gazillion'th time that she now knew how Harry had felt all those years. Like a rare caged animal, and a lonely one too.

A thought of her parents slipped into her mind but she quickly pushed it back inside what she liked to call her 'pain box' in which she stuffed all of her most hurtful memories. That way she could think about them later or not at all. Just to mention, the box was almost exploding.

Her thought of train returned to the highly mixed student body. A couple of years ago sights like that would have made her frown. Gryffindor's with Slytherin's and sixth years with seconds? No, not likely.

The answer was sad but very simple, because they had nothing in common (and Slytherin's and Gryffindor's loathed each other). Sure they would be expected to show curtsy towards each other but nothing more prominent.

But now after the war, everyone, young and adult, treasured each other's companies on a very high scale and they were all just so damn grateful to be alive. They had gotten a second chance and no one wanted to waste it.

She didn't even think it would be fun to go to the Quidditch games this year since all the rivalry between the houses had vanished in thin air. It wouldn't be much of a sport without the usual competitive spirit now would it?

On the other hand she didn't blame them for clinging on to each other, or talking about her. Many people had lost so much. They had all witnessed so many deaths and so much pain and it was still very fresh in their minds, especially in hers.

Many seats and beds would be empty at Hogwarts this year. Almost one third of her generation had been wiped out in the Great battle of Hogwarts and many of the older surviving students had chosen not to attend their last year. There would be jobs and positions to be filled without a graduation diploma anyway.

But she wanted to finish her education. She was determined to try and get back to a normal life after the horrors she'd been through. And most important she didn't even have a choice, she just couldn't bear the thought of going home, or the place she used to call home. She felt tears prickle behind her eyelids. Gah! _Back inside the box!_

Now she had walked the entire train, and was left with only one compartment and thank Merlin it was empty. She just couldn't take all the stares of admiration at the moment and just wanted to be alone for the rest of the ride.

Almost none of her friends would be attending the last year with her anyway so it wasn't like she had someone to talk to. And if they would have she could bear without the long quiet pauses that sometimes occurred during their conversations when everyone else knew what they were thinking anyway.

She ran a hand through her hair again as she entered the space. She noticed another bag slung on one of the seats but since no one was present she figured she could possibly catch some alone time before that person showed up again.

She sat down and emptied her pockets on the table along with the cakes she bought from the lunch trolley. She looked at the five miniature sized books that she had shrunk with a simple spell and almost smiled.

They looked so cute! She had almost had too much fun packing this year when she could use all the new advanced spells the learned during her year traveling around with Harry and Ron.

But then she remembered why she had learned them and her smile faded away again. Unshrinking _**Enchanted Encounters**_ by Fifi LaFolle she tucked her legs under her and drifted away into the world of literature while she nibbled on her cakes.

After some time had passed the door slid open making her head turn. The boy who had opened was tall and lean and his robes bore the crest of Salazar Slytherin, very unusual amongst the students this year. The almost white blond color of his hair and the distinctly pointed features in his face revealed him to be Draco Malfoy.

"Hermione"

The greeting nod was almost so faint it wasn't there but she saw it, and she had definitely heard his voice, but she got so surprised that the book slipped through her hands and landed on the floor with a thud. He had never, and she meant never _ever_ called her by her forename before.

She almost hadn't recognized him without the patronizing sneer on his face that had always been his most dominating expression for the last seven years. Now he looked tired, with big dark circles under his eyes and there was something submissive in his icy grey eyes.

But the nerve he had to show up here this year! She thought. That slithering snake should be in Azkaban after all he had done. She was in complete shock and her mouth opened and closed without being able to produce even the tiniest sound.

"I'm just going to take my bag" He said in a low voice and nicked the think quickly before he darted out of the door again. Hermione was so shocked and angry for the remaining time that she had to be reminded to get off the train by a small first year girl.

"Miss Granger! Miss Granger! We're here! Finally! We need to get off!" She chirped happily before she flung herself out of the door. Hermione cursed under her breath and she too hurried off.

Since she was head girl this year she had more than enough to do with her prefect duties and was momentarily distracted with the ushering and collecting of all the first years, taking her mind of Draco Malfoy and home for a while.

It was not until they all had arrived up in the great hall of the castle, the first years safely organized in a neat line for the sorting, that she sat down exhausted at the Gryffindor table and noticed Malfoy once more.

He was sitting alone at one end of the Slytherin table with his head in his hands wearing a slightly panicky expression. His eyes kept sweeping the hall over and over just to return to stare at an old stain in the table and then doing it all over again.

He was the only Slytherin seventh year attending except for Blaise Zabini, and from the looks of it only the first years was a full class, making Slytherin the house with the smallest number of students. No wonder, Hermione thought.

They are all a bunch of evil loving Death Eaters and all their families have been rejected by our whole civilization. Sending their kids to school would be to ask for it, big time. But Malfoy had always asked for it, she snorted.

Even though you could cut the tension with a knife, the sorting was just as exciting as it always was, everyone smiling at the energy the little ones had as they bounced over to their new houses like Pygmé Puffs on a sugar high.

After they all concluded that the sorting hat wasn't going to burst into some weird and pestilent like song similar to the previous years, the relaxation spread through the hall like a calming potion.

The feast began and Hermione even enjoyed herself even though Harry and Ron weren't there. She sat with Ginny, Seamus and Dean talking about everything and nothing. As soon as the plates had cleared and all the food vanished down for the elves to take care of, Professor McGonagall stood up at the old owl-podium to perform her first speech as post war Headmistress.

Her crisp voice sounded clearly through the hall and its familiarity made Hermione feel calm and at ease. She started out with the usual welcome and announced this year's change in the staff. Slughorn was back as a potions master, much to Ginny's despair since the old chap wouldn't leave her alone. They all snickered at her groans of discomfort.

And much to everyone's delight Tonks had been appointed the new Defense against the Dark Arts Teacher. Hermione felt a sting of pain in her heart as she thought of the young woman's poor faith, her first real love and the father of her young child killed in the very hall they were all in.

She didn't know what to feel about Tonks leaving little Teddy with her parents to go teaching at Hogwarts but then decided that she was no one to judge how others handled their grieving. The war had changed her as much as everybody else, besides she missed Remus as well.

Hagrid was to teach Care of Magical Creatures yet again and the only really big surprise was that Professor Trelawney had resigned and a French young man named Aden Abel would take her place as teacher in Divination.

Many of the girls swooned over his good looks and Hermione could hear whispers like "why didn't I choose divination this year" and "if I had known that he would be teaching I would have…" further down the Gryffindor table.

Ginny, Seamus and Dean all laughed at that and then even more when Hermione mentioned that his name wasn't very French at all and in fact meant "fire breath". The Headmistress also gave the traditional ranting about safety, forbidden objects (all Weasly products) and some information on the extensive re-build of Hogwarts.

The castles magic was old and very complicated and some parts of it were still 'acting up' even though the stone and bricks had been fixed. This caused more talk but they were shushed by the raised voice of McGonagall who suddenly dropped a bomb on them.

"Since many of the students who were to graduate last year are re-attending due to, ehm poor educational standard, and due to the fact that that there aren't enough pupils in seventh year to make individual house classes we have decided to make one big class of you".

"This also means that there will be a few gaps in our general curriculum so you will be offered optional extra advanced courses depending on the subject. This will apply to all of year seven re-attendants, even if you didn't attend at all last year (McGonagalls eyes lingered on Hermione while she spoke those exact words) and sixth years who achieved more than six Outstandings on their OWL's."

Hermione felt a jolt of happiness when she processed that piece of information; after all she had come back to Hogwarts to drown herself in studies.

"I would like you who are interested to report to your subject teacher after your first class and times for these special lessons will be owled out. With that said I bid you all a good night and will see you well rested in the morning." McGonagall finished off and tapped her wand and the podium rose a feet in the air and flew back to its place beside the staff table.

After taking care of the first years (this was immensely energy draining!), delegating prefect duties and discussing security with Filch (this was even more exhausting) Hermione dragged herself up to her bed chambers. She was very tired but sleep wouldn't come as she laid thinking of her own loneliness.

She was the only girl in this dorm and her thoughts wondered back to the horrific night of the battle when so many people had died, people her age, people that should be lying next to her whispering and giggling about boys and make up.

She used to hate it but no she really missed the annoying sounds. The young wizarding world had really taken a hard blow.

She also thought about how Malfoy must be even lonelier than her (and this despite her newly discovered family situation ), it would be him, Blaise Zabini and fifteen babbly first years give or take a few in the entire dungeon.

Serves him right that bloody coward! And she would have every class with him, she groaned inwardly. Hermione's last thought before her eyes fluttered shut was that it bothered her that her last thought before she fell asleep would be related to Malfoy somehow.

-X-x-X-X-X-x-H-x-X-X-X-x-X-

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><p><strong>What did you think? Should I even continue? :D<strong>


	2. The Fantasy

**Things starts to happend more in this chapter, also remember that Hermione is suffering from a small post traumatic depression and is a little confused about her feelings. I know that some things about the characters are a bit unclear, but I wrote it that way on purpose to keep the mystery. So just stick with the story and everything will explain itself (or ask :P)**

_**Disclaimer**_: _I do not own or have the rights to any of the characters used in this fic or the original plotline, everything belongs to JKR._

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><p>Next morning was dreadful. She had always been so exited on the first day of school previous years, she loved to learn and, oh Merlin did she love to read, but it just didn't do it for her the same way anymore. She felt like she was on muggle autopilot.<p>

Yet again she thought of how much she'd changed.

One look in the mirror told her straight away that she hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep. Her brown eyes were dull and lifeless, her cheeks sunken and she had dark circle under her eyes. She looked sick.

The only thing remotely vivid about her was her hair. It wasn't bushy anymore, more like curly, but not exactly not-bushy either. It had great volume to it and the mahogany color had a nice shine.

After breakfast consisting of two fried eggs she ran off to Transfiguration for first period. They were only twenty one students in her new class and ten of them were Gryffindor's.

Professor McGonagall lectured about the laws of vanishing spells and its advantage and disadvantage versus transforming the material in question and then had them practicing it non-verbally.

Hermione wondered how McGonagall had time to teach, not to mention the extra advanced classes, now that she was Headmistress because Dumbledore sure never did (this was of course before he started his horcrux quest).

They were supposed to work in pairs which were usually not a problem but everyone expected that Malfoy and Zabini would work together since they were the only Slytherin's. But Zabini gave Malfoy a malicious glare when he approached and stomped of to a Ravenclaw girl.

Malfoy shrugged and stared into the wall to avoid the burning looks he got from the majority of the class.

"Miss Granger, work with Mr. Malfoy, will you dear?" McGonagall said after a while and earned herself a very intense look from Hermione. This is going to be great she thought and as she felt herself fuming already, and Malfoy haven't even spoken yet, she didn't even want to look at him for Merlin's sake!

But since she was way too well behaved even with her new "don't give a flying fuck" attitude she quietly accepted with a nod. Someone had to be mature around here, and it certainly wasn't going to be Zabini. What was that all about anyway?

Malfoy shrugged again and stepped up to her, but avoided looking her in the eyes.

"Shall we?" He murmured quietly. Hermione just huffed and they went to work with very little conversation from her part (they were practicing non-verbal spells after all). As time went by Hermione noticed that Malfoy wasn't his usual charming, comment spitting self but quiet and tense instead. He seemed a bit sad too, like his mind was somewhere else.

He wasn't quite polite either but his lack of condescending comments were really surprising. All the air seemed to have gone out of him but this observation only made her glad.

About time he realized that you just couldn't go around and act like he had done just because his father was rich, and oh, worshipping evil warlocks wasn't that cool either. On the other hand she also noticed that he was very smart which was displeasing, now that he hasn't any Death Eater play dates anymore he has to focus his brains elsewhere, go figure.

In fact at the end of class she was quite baffled by his effort and thought it was nice to not work with Ron for a change, who could be quite thick really.

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><p>At the end of the day when Hermione returned for the Extra Advanced Transfiguration she found the room empty besides Malfoy and Professor McGonagall. She took a seat at the front and waited for her teacher to speak.<p>

"Since these lessons are optional and only for your own benefit they will not be planned and we will just go with it as it comes" she paused shortly before continuing.

"You will not be graded in your N.E.W.T's by this and you are unlikely to get homework, I said unlikely Mr. Malfoy, but it is not impossible" she added when Malfoy's head whipped up in anticipation. Hermione smiled at this, some things never changed.

"You may see it like a workshop if you like, yes workshop is the proper word, now I don't have a plan for today so is there anything you would like to do?" Hermione hadn't thought of that since she was so used to just following instructions and a silence fell in the room.

McGonagall waited impatiently for approximately half a minute before she spoke again.

"Come on now, there must be one reason you are here, can't you think of one thing you want to learn?" she exclaimed.

"Well, you are an Animagus Professor, cant you tell us more about that?" Malfoy asked, surprising Hermione since she had thought the exact same thing.

This proved to be an extraordinary private lesson in very advanced transfiguration magic and Hermione couldn't wait to get up to the common room to do the homework they had gotten afterwards (despite the fact McGonagall said they would get any). Malfoy looked surprisingly pleased too.

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><p>The following lessons turned out to be just as interesting and Extra Advanced Transfiguration became Hermione's new favorite subject.<p>

Often it was just her and Malfoy who didn't bother her at all; in fact they worked together a lot in all their classes. After a few days Malfoy had relaxed but it was still clear that he really just wanted to keep to himself which suited Hermione perfectly since she strove for the same, hence they ended up together.

She felt awkward amongst her friends and the comfortable silence that had formed between her and Malfoy was something she opted for more and more, despite the confused looks she got from everyone else who refused to talk to him.

But every time she started to feel to content with him she reminded herself of the absolute vile tattoo he had on his left forearm.

After some time she actually got really mad since she couldn't figure out the sudden change in him. She had really thought about it and it was driving her mad. Why was he studying so hard? He never seemed interested before, and why was he sulking like a little boy? The man was broken for sure. But most important, why was he not mean to her anymore?

One day after Extra Advanced Potions she just cracked. The two of them were alone in class and he was silently chopping up some Dandelion roots. He ran a hand trough his blond strands and unbuttoned the first button under his tie due to the heat in the dungeon.

"What?" He asked with a cocked eyebrow when she stared at him.

"Why do you do it?" She hissed.

"Do what? The book said to cut half an inch pieces" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Not the instructions I mean the Extra Advanced Classes, it's practically only you and me half the time and I just don't get why you do it" she exclaimed.

He blinked a few times and then leaned back with a smug smile, just like he used to (thank you! At least that Malfoy she knew how to handle, the new quiet one was harder)

"Afraid that you are not the only brainiac anymore Granger?" He chuckled, but his eyes were colder than ice.

"No I actually enjoy working with someone who has a brain and who doesn't spend half the day stuffing their face, but that's not the point" She hated to admit this to him.

"Yeah, I always wondered were Weasel puts it all" He snickered.

"I mean why the sudden interest in your academic path? It not like you were aiming for all "O's" last year?" Hermione added darkly and started stirring in their potion. This question made his gaze turn even colder if possible and his reply dripped with acid.

"I don't have to explain myself to you but since you asked so bloody nicely I will, besides Granger, you have always been a now-it-all but you are really outdoing yourself now, all you do is study for Merlin's sake!" He spat. Of course he'd turn it on her.

"It's not the same. It's complicated" She spit back with hurt in her voice. She turned her head town so that he couldn't get the satisfaction of seeing her out of control. He didn't have to know why she drowned herself in her work, why she needed an escape. Why she couldn't think of her parents, or Harry or Ron she added darkly.

"It's complicated? Yeah there you have it…" He answered quietly. Even though it sounded like he actually knew what she meant she highly doubted that he could actually know what he was talking about. He just couldn't possibly feel what she was feeling; he was a stone cold Death Eater.

"No Hermione! Watch how you stir it, it's supposed to be eights not back and forth!" He suddenly exclaimed and took the ladle from her. She had totally forgotten about the potion and frowned at Malfoy's concern, he was going to drive her crazy if he didn't start acting like a patronizing pain in the ass soon.

"Less bickering and more working ladies and gentlemen, it will take you four lessons to complete that draught and I don't think you would want to start over" Professor Slughorn mused from his desk.

"Sorry" Malfoy muttered and started stirring proper eights again. Hermione didn't have the heart to lash out to him. She watched him stir for a while and then realized that she saw very much of herself in him. He looked like she felt (well he actually looked like her as well, sick and tired that is).

He had tension in his shoulder blades from waiting for an attack that would never come. Black ink splotches in his hands from occupying himself so he would think of painful things. And sad, oh so sad and angry eyes that reflected an emotional chaos inside of him. Finally Hermione concluded that she maybe had more in common with the teenage Death Eater than she originally thought. She wondered if he had a "Pain box".

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><p>The days crept by and Hermione started to get really worn down by all the extra work she was doing. It would have been fine if she could just sleep for Merlin's sake! But sleep wouldn't come because all she did when it was bedtime was to think about how lonely she was.<p>

She'd miss Harry and Ron who hadn't answered her mail at all, she'd think about her future which she hadn't gotten a clue of what it would be as soon she'd finished her N.E.W.T's and she'd think about her parents.

One minute she missed them like crazy and the other she would despise them in hatred. It felt like she had nothing to live for anymore because her future was so hazy. She had gotten so used to hunting horcruxes and constantly living on the edge of death that she had a hard time adapting to reality again.

How could everyone act so normal when it was anything but?

Harry was fine with Ginny, Grimauld Place and Auror Training, as was Ron. She had nothing but school and she was just sick of being anxious all the time. And she could not cope with it if she had to fake laughs and interest all the time with her friends.

It really bugged her as well that when she actually tried to open up or be herself she was ignored. She just couldn't take it.

The only thing that calmed her was studying. And weirdly enough Malfoy. She had concluded from her observations of him that he was going through some really rough stuff and she could relate to that, and him weirdly enough.

At one point a worrying thought truck her. What if she was losing her morals for sympathizing with Malfoy? Was she turning evil? The thought of Malfoy trying to be good didn't even cross her, so she was left even more conflicted with more feelings to pile in the pain box

Somehow it gave her comfort and satisfaction that he also felt like shit, and feel like shit he did, that was very clear.

She had learned a great deal of him the past three weeks since the start of term. He was left handed for example, and scribbled in the marginal of his books. He'd always rest his head in his hand and play with his hair when he was thinking and he always cut the top of his quills for better balance.

A pin on his bag revealed that he also liked the Falmouth Falcon's, he liked to discuss wizard's history and he liked to draw (and was pretty darn good at it too). He had a nasty habit of running his hand through his hair every time he got nervous, which was completely useless since his blond strands would just return to hang in his eyes. This made him particularly interesting to look at and she loved it when he did that.

It was funny how his personality cam shining through now that he didn't have to impress and entertain his cronies anymore. Who knew?

Although the most prominent trait was his change in attitude and his lack of response to other students. Malfoy the bully was gone and replaced by a quiet observing and brooding one. Hermione had started to notice that he took a lot of crap from the others in school, of course he being a former Death Eater was slightly contributing but sometimes she'd wish that they just leave him alone.

He wasn't doing anything and one person could only take so much before it was enough. Of course he deserved some of it but she wished they could just let it go since he was really, _really_ trying (she could tell even though she could'nt figure out why).

They would bully him (especially in _Defense_ which was highly ironic), call him names and break his things and all he did was glare daggers and walk away (this took a lot of restrain from him but he made it).

Sometimes she could tell it really got to him though especially when his dad was the topic, but she also knew that she would never catch him cry like he had done with her. They had started to treat each other more nicely lately, even sharing some smiles and jokes to the extent of their abilities.

And that's why she really blew a fuse one day after lunch when she saw Ginny, Dean and some fifth year Ravenclaw push him up against a door. She completely lost it for some reason.

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><p><strong>Some feedback would be nice? o.0<strong>


	3. The Kill

**A/N Thanks to the people who put this story on alert, it means much to me xD As it's just an experiment it really made me happy. I am really struggling with my language and story telling so hope its enough.**

_**Disclaimer**_: _I do not own or have the rights to any of the characters used in this fic or the original plotline, everything belongs to JKR._

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><p>.<p>

Hermione was fairly far away from the scene so she couldn't hear what was shouted but by the looks of it Dean really poured his soul into a long tirade and his posture was as tense as a bowstring. Ginny was holding him back, or trying to, almost ripping of his arm. Hermione started to run to get to them in time before something really nasty unfolded.

"What the fuck is going on here?" She panted. She first laid her eyes upon Malfoy and almost flinched away from the expression in his eyes. Hurt, anxiety, rage and extreme pain danced in a storm of grey. Not to mention the nice, clean cut on his left cheek which was bleeding a bit.

"Did you do this Dean?" She asked completely shocked.

"No, Marcus did" He whipped his head in the direction of the smaller Ravenclaw. Hermione looked him over with a scrutinizing stare and then turned to Malfoy.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing! I haven't done a bloody thing!" He shouted in anger.

"That's not true you filthy liar!" Suddenly the Ravenclaw drew his wand and before she knew it everyone pointed a wand at someone else. Malfoy had Dean's at his exposed throat and was pushed even more against the door in his attempts to get away from it. To Hermione's big surprise Ginny's was pointed at her.

"What the hell Ginny?" She exclaimed with a tone of surprise. The redhead was shaking with anger.

"I can't believe you are defending a Death Eater, at least I know you will. That's all you do nowadays, mope around with him and your books like you were the best of friends. Do you know what it feels like when you choose him over us? And you are way too bright to think that his new nice-boy-veneer is real, he called you a Mudblood at the age of twelve for Merlin's sake!" Her chest was heaving hard from the lack of oxygen after her rant.

"That doesn't mean it's ok to maim him! That just makes you as bad as he used to be!" Hermione ignored Dean's wand and stepped in front of Malfoy. Dean lowered it in a moment of insecurity but then raised it towards her again.

"_Confringo!_" cried the Ravenclaw suddenly but Hermione disarmed him easily without a word. Malfoy put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione, don't, it's not…"

"_Sixty_ points from Ravenclaw for spilling another student's blood and another twenty for attacking the head girl with a bloody _blasting_ curse you shouldn't even know!" She interrupted him and gave the Ravenclaw a nasty glare.

"See? Your even on a first name basis now, I don't even know what to think anymore Hermione" Ginny cried and whipped her wand around violently while she spoke.

"I have tried to get to you all term you know, but you rather talk to a Death Eater then your friends" She added hoarsely.

"Calm down girls, you can solve this later, just step away from him Hermione" Dean said chilly.

"No, leave him alone" Hermione threatened. Dean then cast a curse but Hermione's shield charm just made it create a bubble of air which pushed them all back a few feet, making Hermione's back get in contact with Malfoy's chest. She hastily glanced up over her shoulder to see fear in his eyes.

"BLOODY HELL! I've had it! Twenty points from Gryffindor you fucking hypocrites, from now on nobody so much as glance at him, or me! I don't have to explain myself I'm head girl and you will obey school rules!" Hermione roared.

Wow, it felt really good to went and get it all out, in fact it was the strongest and most real she felt since the war. She didn't really have a clue why she had stepped in between, surely there were other ways to solve this but she felt oddly protective over the silver haired boy behind her.

All she knew was that she was on fire.

Somewhere along the line the little Ravenclaw had disappeared. Both Ginny and Dean glared daggers at her but then the youngest Weasly snorted.

"Really Hermione? Using your prefect status to cover for the boy who is responsible for Dumbledore's death? Don't try to pull it off as if you were just correcting misbehavior, we all know what this is about. You're fucking turning on us" When these words left her lips Hermione literally saw red in the corners of her eyes.

"Fuck you Ginny! And what do you mean 'trying to get to me all term'? All you have done is to rant about Harry and don't think for a second that you know anything about Dumbledore just because your boyfriend was close to him, not to mention that said boyfriend haven't even wrote one lousy letter to me!" She screeched.

"You are all so full of yourself now that you don't need my brains to get by anymore so just leave me alone! And Draco too! Fuck you all!" Dean gasped at her foul language and she thought she felt Malfoy's hand tighten his grip on her shoulder.

"Enough!" Dean said aggravated and caste another curse. This time Hermione yelled '_Protego_' at the top of her lungs and the immense force of the shield charm knocked both parties backwards like an explosion. The last thing she heard before crashing into Malfoy was McGonagall's desperate cry.

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><p>.<p>

She was flying through the air, or flying through the door which got blasted open and down a flight of stairs to be more precise. Panic started to bubble up in her when she realized that she and Malfoy would soon crash on the hard stone floor of the room. Crashed they did indeed.

She thought she might have crushed some part of him she didn't want to think about, on the other hand that didn't matter as she watched the stone come closer.

He flew straight into a shelf knocking its content down, and she rolled into a corner with a big pile of cleaning supplies. Pain shot through her spine and she involuntarily widened her eyes from the force. Her tailbone was probably reduced to dust from the feeling of it. Then something rather odd happened.

A jar of blue dust was on its way down from the shelf along with some other weird stuff, threatening to shower Malfoy. She watched the blue jar from her lying position as it crashed and emitted its content all over the room; everything turned a dusty blue just like Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. Time seemed to stop.

Her mind was working on overdrive but everything else was just really slow. Malfoy was turning away and closing his eyes to protect them from the dust, his body falling backwards.

But it was super, _super_ slow. Suddenly it was as if a curtain was starting to close before her eyes and startled she wondered if she was fainting. Her vision turned completely black but she was fully conscious. The curtain had closed and was on its way up again when she realized that it was her eyelid. She was blinking in slow motion but her mind was normal.

The scenario played out like this for a minute or two and it was torture to just lay there, not being able to move quick enough and just enduring the pain. Finally time returned to normal again with a snap.

Malfoy was indeed showered with the shelf objects and she herself toppled over in a gasp. She just laid there gasping in her shocked state but Malfoy shot up as if electrocuted and started pacing the room cursing heavily and loudly.

Hermione picked herself of the floor rubbing her aching back. The dust seemed to have disappeared.

"Shit, shit, shit, bloody cocksucking _fucking SHIT_!" He yelled and pulled his silver hair with both hands.

"Calm down Malfoy, what just happened?"

"What just happened! What just _HAPPENED_! You don't know what that was! Oh Merlin we are going to die!" Was his reply, sheer panic in his eyes.

"Just calm down will you, please!" Now he was starting to scare her. She had encountered strange magic at Hogwarts before, but if this got him so riled up that he was pulling his hair out by the roots, maybe she should worry for real.

"I can't calm down, we're going to be trapped here forever! You don't get it! That was a jar of time dust, _a jar_!" Hermione had no idea what he was talking about so she did what she had done so much the previous year and acted on pure instinct.

In three wide steps she reached him and gave him a slap that echoed of the walls. He blinked twice with eyes as wide as teacups and felt his now reddening cheek with a trembling hand. She looked straight in his frightened pools of ice.

"Breath…" She breathed with him for some moments before she spoke again. She had entered 'danger-and-protection' mode which she was very familiar with. It felt very uncomfortable though since she thought that she was done with the whole 'fighting for survival thing'. And from Malfoy's behaviour they were clearly in danger.

She could see the realization of what she'd just done come to him slowly and anger replaced the fear in his face.

"How dare you hit me Granger?" The disgust clearly detectable in his tone .

"Before you get mad over me touching you and shit, please explain calmly what just happened and we will go through this systematically, we don't have time for bickering over blood purity so please" She pleaded but with a firm tone. He looked down at her, his height towering over her, for a moment.

"Yeah I guess I kind of needed that…" He paused and licked his lips. The restrain it took for him to remain calm was visible and his already pale skin was becoming almost translucent.

"Ehm what just happened was that when I hit that shelf I knocked down a jar of time dust. It's a substance magically produced from some endangered impala's horns or some shit. _Extremely_ rare and _very_ powerful, you use it to stretch the day with a couple of hours since it slows down time. But you only need a couple of grams for that… That was a _jar_…" His lips quivered and his voice had lowered to a whisper.

Hermione froze when realization hit her. They would be stuck here forever! It felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice cold water over her. She then lightened up just as quickly.

"Well why don't we just open the door and break the spell?" She laughed almost maniacally.

"We can't, the space between the two times will mess with your mind, it's really dangerous. Actually I think that's what got my aunt all loopy…" He shattered her new found hope like a mirror. She could almost hear the crashing sound. Or maybe it was the echo of the jar, either way she felt horrified.

"Ok that sucks, what do we do, ehm how do you know this?" She asked to keep him occupied since he had proved himself to react poorly under stress, something she was way more experienced with. She needed time to think.

"Because its mine" She blinked at him.

"I used it in sixth year when I needed more time to mend the vanishing cabinet. Filch caught me with it but it didn't matter since I was almost done. I had more important things to think about than that squib confiscating my shit" He explained and sighted in dispair.

"Yeah I can imagine" Hermione remembered to well what he had done. Hate suddenly filled her.

"Well what we need to do is to figure out how much was in that jar and how long we will be in here so we can form a survival plan" He noticed the acid in her voice.

"Don't use that tone with me _Granger_, it's your fault we're here!" He sneered in defense.

"My fault? How is this my fault?" Hermione clattered angrily with the broken shards of glass from the dust jar. Muttering '_reparo_' and the pieces flew back together to form a new unbroken one.

"If you hadn't come storming to save the day with your morals we wouldn't be here. It was your bloody charm who knocked us down here!" The anger was slowly giving his cheeks some color back.

"Well I should have left you to get ripped apart by a fifth year then" She mocked and went to sit in a corner to examine the jar. She knew that her comment was unfair since he neither should strike up in a duel due to school rules nor since she knew he didn't even want to.

She had noted the fear in his eyes. Something had happened to him during the summer that made him scared of conflicts. And even though she didn't want to admit it, she had stepped in between to protect him.

"Yeah, you should leave me alone" He went to sit in the other corner.

"So that's why you always come to me in class?" She asked annoyed.

"You're good with the Devil's Snare besides, no, wait, I'm not talking to you anymore!" He interrupted himself and started fuming in his corner.

Hermione didn't bother answering, she didn't need a row with Malfoy, and it could end ugly. She focused on the jar instead and after a couple of minutes she asked him confused.

"How much time would one gram give you?" He stared into the wall.

"Malfoy?" More silence.

"Stop acting like a child and help me out here, we have gotten along for almost a month now and neither of us killed each other so why should we start now? I'm sorry ok? Just answer the question" The firmness of her voice made him look at her.

"Fine!" He huffed childishly. He thought for a while before he said something again.

"It's hard to know exactly since its different when you are on the '_inside_' of the effect but I think it's something like one minute on the outside is ten times slower on the inside" He said absently clearly lost in some memory. Hermione scribbled for a while with a quill and some paper making Malfoy curious despite his anger with her.

"How much was in the jar?" She then asked without looking up from her calculations.

"How should I know?"

"From the label it's says that when full it contains 170 grams, but maybe I should rephrase my question, how much did you use of it?" She gave him a patronizing glare. It was his stupid jar wasn't it?

"Quite a lot, I spent days in that room, a day and a half?" He asked the air since she just scribbled away furiously.

"At least five days" She finally stated and sighted, running her hand trough her hair. Malfoy's face turned a sickening shade of green and he gulped.

She couldn't do much but agree, just because they got along with each other didn't mean she was thrilled about being trapped with him in Filch's storage room for five days with nothing to support them but wood and stone. Of course they had their wands but she was horrible at cooking spells. She felt like crying.

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><p><strong>That was a real fun chapter to write xD<strong>


	4. Night Of The Hunter

**A/N I am getting a bit insecure about this fic, dont worry I will keep posting, Its just that I dont know where the story is head****ing anymore. If you feel that the consistency of the story/plotline starts to waver, please let me know. I also started reading a fic called 'Isolation' by Bex-Chan wich made me completely amazed (and really self aware :( its really good)**** which distracted me a bit. But enough of that, enjoy this chapter :P**__

**Btw, the new time line is set from 12 o'clock just after lunch.**_**  
><strong>_

_**Disclaimer**_: _I do not own or have the rights to any of the characters used in this fic or the original plotline, everything belongs to JKR._

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><p>.<p>

**Day 1, hour 1.**

They were both quiet, not speaking one word to each other, completely left to their own whirling thoughts. After a while Malfoy took out some homework and got to work probably to keep the time going.

Hermione on the other hand felt sick at the thought of reading for the first time in her life and got up to do some exploring instead.

The room was not that big, had no widows, and was full of shelves with confiscated stuff (mostly broken Weasly products) and had a really tiny side scrub which was empty except for spider web.

Not fancying spiders that much she turned her attention to the shelves instead.

Her findings were not that intriguing though; a set of wizard's chess, several other glass jars with mysterious contents and some burned blankets that smelled remotely like wet cat. There was the pile of broken cleaning supplies she had crashed into but besides that there was nothing more so Hermione tired quit fast.

She tried to suppress the feeling of distress she had. The small space was already making her claustrophobic and along with her general feeling of sadness and anger she felt jitterier than ever. But the hole in her chest that sometimes threatened to consume her from the inside out was now just a tiny speck.

Malfoy was there, reading a bit, writing a bit and the rustling sounds filled her with some comfort. She wasn't alone, and wouldn't be for a while. His long delicate fingers slowly stroked the side of the page he was on as his concentrated stormy pools read the words.

To anyone else he looked at ease but Hermione had learned from days of silent observation that he wasn't at all. The tiny tension in his posture and shoulders and the barely there tapping with his foot against the stone gave him away.

Yet again he made her wonder what his problem was, and she wondered what had made her feel so drawn to him. It was like an itch in the back of her head, never leaving her alone, just like when she couldn't find the right answer too an essay question (which almost never happened).

As always the question 'whats wrong?' lingered on her tongue almost slipping of her lips but she bit it back. She didn't want to disturb him so she took out the wizards chess to distract herself.

Suddenly one of the pawns started to ooze smoke and her finger got burnt where she touched it.

"Ouch!" she yelped and sucked her injured finger. This made Malfoy whip his head up and look at her with question in his eyes, one perfect light eyebrow raised.

"It burned me" she whined. He just shrugged and returned to _A History of Magic_. Almost all of the pieces on the board where glowing from heat now.

No wonder Filch took it away, he must have thought it was Dark Magic placed upon it, she snickered inwardly while she examined it a bit closer, careful not to touch it again. It was probably just a stinging hex gone wrong, but he could'nt possibly know that.

"_Finite Incantatem_" she muttered but nothing happened. She then screamed 'FINITE INCANTATEM' silently in her head and the board shook a bit. That seemed to have done it but the pieces were still very hot.

She showered it with a stream of water to cool it of which probably wasn't the brightest idea since it made the small room fill up to the brim with steam. Malfoy gave her an annoyed look.

"Sorry… Want to play?" She said sheepishly. He rolled his eyes and closed his book. The steam made it hard to see if he was looking at her but the prickles in her neck told her he was.

"Fine, but only because you made the room a sauna, the pages will get wet" He stalked over to her and sat down on the opposite side of the board. He tried to wave some of the swirling mist away and succeeded to some extent.

"Ok Hermione, let's see what you got" He said with an annoyed tone, but he couldn't hide the mischief glittering happy in his eyes. And so they played, in the steam.

It turned out that Malfoy was really good at chess, but so was Hermione. Of course she contemned the way the little pieces angrily chopped each other up but the game really grew on her.

She was so sick of morals and always doing the right thing, besides it was only chess.

It might have had something to do with Malfoy's happy chuckles every time a slaughter begun. He really brought out the rebel in her she thought and smiled at him when he laughed. Apparently his bishop had made an especially funny move against her knight. But eventually they grew tired of that too.

"What time is it?" He asked her. She looked at her watch, only three hours had passed!

"It's only half passed two" He groaned. He returned to his book again, and she understood why. Much like she, he had learned that time flew by when you buried your nose in a book, but she wasn't up for it herself so she started experimenting with her watch using some of her new Transfiguration skills.

She succeeded in making a device that projected the time onto the wall with big glowing numbers. She placed it at the corner of the stairs, adjusting it a bit until she was happy with the size of the image. Malfoy looked up.

"Nice!" He smiled a crooked little smile.

"You knew I was going to ask you what time it was every two seconds so you made sure we could both look, clever Hermione" He said amused.

"I don't want to get into unnecessary arguments, this is going to be tough enough anyway" She blushed a delicate pink.

"Yeah, I like the semi-peace we have, let's keep it that way" He mumbled with his nose back in the book.

_Aww, come on! _

It was as if when she finally got him to talk he folded into himself again, it was like talking to herself. She was going to die from boredom. Suddenly she realized what she must be to others and she didn't know if she liked that information very much.

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><p>.<p>

**Day 1, hour 5**

"Why do you call me Hermione?"

"Because it's your name?"

"I mean, why are you not so nasty to me anymore?" He squeezed his eyes shut and then rubbed his palms in them. He looked at her with a tired expression.

"Seriously? Why do you complain?"

"No, no, I'm not complaining at all, I was just wondering why you don't go around and taunt people, calling me a mudblood and all that" she said hastily placing her hazel stare everywhere but on him.

"Don't use that word!" he said harshly, the angry fire in his eyes flaring up at once. This shocked Hermione since he never bothered to not think that way of her before (at least she thought) and certainly had he never censured his language.

"Why?" She decided to press him a little.

"Because it's nasty and I don't want to hear it. I don't want to use that kind of language anymore nor do I want to be associated with it" They stared at each other for some time before she finally won and he broke their lock.

"Even if I wanted too, which I don't, I could hardly get away with that type of behavior could I?" Bitterness was domination his tone.

"No, I guess not" Hermione answered quietly. This confirmed the suspicions she had. He really wanted to change, not just because he had too, but because the wars evil aftermath had scarred him to. Hell, he'd already gone from black to white, he was really different.

First this made her glad, finally something that got to him.

_But why?_

She knew how deeply rooted the prejudices where and how she herself felt on the matter. But then again she was confused as well in her beliefs. The thing was that she could'nt figure out if it was all the gruesome events she'd been trough, the evils that had been inflicted on her, that provoked the feelings she had.

Or if it simply was her growing up, finally realizing that there wasn't just good and evil. Black and white. There were a million shades of gray in the world. Like his eyes for instant.

Hermione had concluded, being the bright witch she was, that she was to self aware for her own good. She was depressed, she had identity problems and for some reason she tended to seek comfort in a death eater which by itself was slightly disturbing. She was going mental for sure.

It was starting to get cold in the room so she absentminded cleaned and repaired the blankets she found. Snuggled in one of them she picked up a book from her schoolbag. When she had read the same page four times she sighted frustrated and tossed it aside.

"What?" He mused, again with the raised eyebrow.

"I can't read anymore, there's something wrong with me" The frustration seeped through her voice like water through a strainer. Maybe Ginny was right, what was going on with her?

"Yeah there must be, maybe you should go to the hospital wing and get it checked out when we get out" He joked calmly.

"Don't be smart" She was really tired of things not being as it used to be, she had always found solitude in books but she couldn't keep this crazy studying dance up anymore if she couldn't even read one page without flaring up. And if she could'nt study she could'nt keep the pain at bay.

It was probably the room. She debated with herself for a while and then told him so.

"Well, people change I guess, maybe you should take up Quiddich. I used to find solitude in that" He stated seriously to Hermione's surprise.

"I'm horrible at flying" was her comment to that.

"So I've heard" 

_Come on, who hadn't?_

He tossed his book as well and stood up to stretch his limbs, flexing his muscles. Without his robes and in only his shirt she noticed that he had gotten really toned, how come she never noticed before?

"First you need to get your balance fixed, there's exercises for that, then you have to focus real hard, a strong emotion would probably do, and flying isn't as hard as some make it to be" He went to sit on the bottom of the stairs. She nodded at his logic.

"I thought you knew all about Quiddich, Potter was the team captain after all, and the whole Weasel litter is descent players as well" She ignored his rudeness and answered in a matter of factly tone.

"Yeah, I just never found it interesting before, when they got at it I just tuned them out"

"Maybe I can show you sometime" They both stared at each other shocked at his comment. Not killing each other in class and hanging out on their free time were two topics very wide apart. An awkward silence spread through the little room.

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><p>.<p>

**Day 1, hour 11.**

Malfoy yawned for the umpteenth time and Hermione exploded.

"_Gah_! Just go to sleep then, your making me mad!" She barked.

"Fuck off Granger, I can't, and unless you have a potion for it I will yawn" He snapped back. There was silence once more but after a couple of minutes the sound of another yawn could be heard again. Hermione decided to change tactics.

"Why can't you sleep if you're so tired?" She asked and let out a yawn herself.

"None of your business Granger" Same irritated tone again.

"What happened to Hermione?"

"I'm crossed with you, besides showing curtsy towards you that way seems pointless when you don't even return the favor" His breathing became harder in the darkness. Wow he really worked himself up about that.

"Why can't you sleep _Draco_?" She asked more softly. The sound of his name tasted better on her tongue than she would have liked and she frowned a little surprised. Hermione had almost fallen asleep when he finally answered.

"I'm thinking about things…" He whispered. She could hear him roll over and tussle angrily with his blankets.

"I figured as much, but what are you thinking about?"

"I'm not going to tell _you_"

"No, you don't have to if you don't want to. But I can tell you something in return if it makes you feel better…" Hermione held her breath and waited.

This was a chance to maybe figure out some of the mystery that was Malfoy, but at the same time she cursed herself for putting herself in such a vulnerable position. This conversation really took a more serious turn than she initially had planned.

_All I wanted to do was shut him up so I could welter in my own self pity and not sleep myself._

"I think of how lonely I am, what an outcast I am now that I am finally being me, it's funny isn't it how hard you work for people to see something in you but when you show them something real they recoil?" Hermione let him go on.

"I think about how much people hate me for what I have done. It feels like I'm drowning in guilt" His voice trembled a bit and she could hear how hard it was for him to open up to her.

_Shit!_

She never thought he'd do it, what was she going to say to him now? If she couldn't even tell Harry, Ron or Ginny how was she going to tell Malfoy?

"I feel lonely too." She started.

"I feel so sad for everyone who died in the war, but at the same time I feel misplaced because I don't know what to do anymore. I was so used to travel around, nearly escaping death and now it's just back to normal you know? I feel unappreciated when they don't need my brains to stay alive anymore, I feel angry" When the first words left her lips it was like a river of emotions had been unleashed and it just kept on coming.

"Harry and Ron would have never made it without me, and it makes me feel guilty to think that way, but I thought about what you said earlier and you where right" She finished off, tears threatening to spill over her eyes. She didn't know why she all of a sudden became so emotional.

_You threw of the lid to the box, you stupid cow!_

"Right about what?" He asked.

"Right about that people change, I am changing and my friends can't accept that. I am not the good girl anymore, I am tired of it. Hell! I have lost all of my relationships from it and I feel so fucking lost" She continued now crying like a fountain.

"Are you crying Hermione?" He sounded uncomfortable. She whimpered a 'no' and tried not to sob but he then lit his wand to expose her lie.

"Don't fucking cry, I don't know what to do when girls cry" He said with panic in his voice as he crawled over to her.

"You don't have to bother Ma-Draco, I am sorry I brought it up" She also sat up and wiped her face on the blanket. The now fully lit room made her able to see his eyes. They were full of emotion. A little annoyance, of course, but mostly hurt and worry.

"Please stop crying, just tell me what to do, anything but crying" The sincerity in his velvety voice made Hermione baffled. Why would he care? On the other hand why would she care about him and his problems, and yet she did.

"Why would you care if I cried?" She sniffled into the blanket trying to hide her tear drenched face.

"I just don't like when girls cry, besides it makes me uncomfortable when people show their weaknesses" He dimmed the light of his wand a bit.

"I just wanted to know what was bothering you…" She admitted shyly.

"You Gryffindor lot are always so fucking nosy… Well, if I told you one more thing, will you shut up then?" He looked vulnerable peering at her with an awkward expression.

"Yeah, maybe…"

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><p>.<p>

**A/N OK I really need some feedback here guys? *pulling my hair a bit* Good? Bad? Boring? _To Green_? Anything would be nice, just to keep me going you know xD I will update very soon.**


	5. Closer to the Edge

**A/N okay I have corrected a mistake in this chapter so here it comes again xD**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, JKR does :P**

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><p><strong>.<br>**

**Day 2, 7.58, hour 19**

_I can't see a woman cry because it reminds me of my mother… It's painful._

His words echoed in her mind for a long time before sleep finally lulled her into a rest she so desperately needed. His pale face and distant pained eyes had swirled before her closed eyelids making her wonder what horrible story lay hidden there.

Her dreams weren't as vivid as they usually were, but it was the same scenarios nonetheless. The rejecting backs of all the people she loved while she desperately tried to get their attention screaming their names until her voice became hoarse and her windpipe almost bleed.

She would then start to hex and curse them but all the flying jolts of light would just bounce of the cold shoulders until she felt that she didn't have a choice but to use one of the unforgivable's.

_Avada Kedavra…_

It always ended in the same mortifying way which made her wake up completely disgusted with herself and making her welter in self pity and anger.

The tussled blankets were a mess around her body and her hands shivered like leafs while she gasped huge breaths of air to calm herself. She noticed that the room wasn't completely dark and it took a moment for her to realize where she was.

A low rumbling sound came from above the stairs. The door looked like it was going to be knocked in, bucking from an unknown weight on the other side, and light simmered through the cracks around it. She froze from the sight, completely taken aback.

"Draco…" She whispered frightened. He stirred a bit in his blankets.

"_Draco!"_ She hissed louder and shook his shoulder.

"What?" He mumbled disoriented from sleep. She just pointed towards the door.

"What's happening? Why is it doing that?" She got up on shaky legs and away from the door. "Didn't you say it was dangerous if the door opened?"

He sat up with sluggish movements and ran a hand trough his mop of hair making it a delicious disarray of silver chaos. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and then stared at the door with a tint of worry in his features.

"Yeah, but they don't know that on the other side" The door had started to fold back incredibly slowly, now trapping the light from entering their prison. It was shaking in slow motion.

"That looks like a blasting curse…" He gave her an uncertain look. "They are trying to get to us"

Hermione calmed herself down by taking deep breaths. Of course they were trying to get down here to check what had happened, the last thing she'd heard was McGonagall's voice so the professor was surely aware of what had been going down in the hallway, but since her and Malfoy's time was so much slower they hadn't noticed before.

She wondered how much time had passed on the other side of the rattling door. Probably just a couple of minutes.

"It's the time spell that keeps them from getting in" She realized suddenly since the door hadn't been locked, otherwise she and Malfoy wouldn't have been able to tumble trough it.

"Well I hope they don't, we can get seriously hurt if the spell backfires somehow" He glanced at the clock which made Hermione look as well.

_8.02_

"It's Tuesday, we've slept for eight hours!" He exclaimed shocked. Hermione was slightly surprised too since she hadn't slept for so many hours straight since her sixth year almost two years ago.

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><p>.<p>

**Day 2, 10.13, hour 21**

The slow motion door kept up its disturbing shakes, every now and then letting out a morbid squeak that would last for minutes at the time. Every time Malfoy would become more and more irritated by the sounds and groan in frustration until Hermione flicked her wand and cast the _Muffliato_ spell, then he went all cave man on her.

"How is that buzzing going to make it better, how about a simple silencing charm?" He shouted and hurled a book straight into a shelf upsetting a broken Fanged Frisbee which snapped half heartedly at him.

"I'm sorry I did it on pure instinct, I am so used to that spell" Hermione flicked her wand again and made it go away and replaced it with a silencing charm and the room got much more pleasant sound wise (the stupid door probably continued to creak evilly they just couldn't hear it).

"Well it's a bloody dumb spell anyway, people only use it to eavesdrop or gossip anyway" His nostrils flared from the force of his words as he stomped around in the confined space.

"No its not, you can use it for protection as well…" Hermione said quietly thinking about that time when shed almost got caught by snatchers and her wards probably saved her life.

"Really?" He sneered.

"Yeah it saved my life when I was on the run" She met his angered glare with pride and he shrugged at her words. "Why are you so worked up anyway?" The anger was soon replaced by embarrassment and he turned his broad shoulders and back away from her.

"_Ineopss…"_ He mumbled and started pacing again.

"Come again?"

"I need to piss" He said more forcefully hissing the syllables out between clenched teeth. Hermione's lips formed a wordless 'O' in realization and she blushed at the simple statement. She levitated the empty glass jar towards him which he took and stared at with wide eyes like it was the strangest thing he'd ever seen.

"You can always use that vanishing spell we learned in Transfiguration" She tried to hide her amused smile and started to laugh out loud when Malfoy took three long strides towards the little scrub and slammed the door shut behind him stirring up an angry little cloud of dust.

Hermione was clutching her aching stomach, wiping her tears and dabbing her rosy cheeks when he came out again with a smug smile playing on his thin lips.

"Very mature Granger, lets se who's laughing when _you_ need to go" He returned to his corner. "I've heard that being a female can be quite precarious in those situations" That made her stifle her laughter at once and reward him with a heated glare.

"Fucking prick" She muttered wile's he just smiled a satisfied grin at her words.

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><p>.<p>

**Day 2, 13.27, hour 24**

Hermione laid down the fanged Frisbee she currently tried to repair and clutched her aching stomach which rumbled loudly.

"You should put a muzzle on that thing" Malfoy commented smartly.

"I suppose you are not hungry then?" She said irritated while another pang of hunger ripped her insides.

"Like a fucking lion" And to put a little effect to his answer his own stomach let out a roar. They had already shared the old cauldron cakes Hermione had found in her school bag and the only thing they both had gotten for nutrition was water which they had conjured up.

"I should have paid more attention to Mrs. Weasly when she used to cook at the Burrow" Hermione whined and rubbed her temples in despair. She had a bad head ache from low blood sugar levels and needed some food badly and guessed Malfoy was in equal need.

"Mothers have a way with cocking spells don't they?" Malfoy said in awe and got that distant look in his eyes again. "Do you know any?"

"No, do you?"

"Two, but I can't seem to get them right, I've never bothered since we've always had servants for that" Hermione snorted at that. She forgot what a spoiled brat he could be sometimes, on the other hand had his tone not been patronizing at all, just stating a fact. And since she neither could cook with a wand she couldn't accuse him either.

"Well can you try? Or show me?" She asked him. So they began their work of trying to create bread and onion soup with nothing but their wands.

This proofed to be very difficult and Hermione laughed tiredly at the fact that they were both top of their year and couldn't even conjure up a simple piece of stupid bread. She missed her muggle toaster very much.

"I can't eat that!" Malfoy guffawed at the green slime she had created on her fifth attempt. It was really nice to see him laugh, just like with the chess, even if it was at her expense. It made her own mouth twitch in amusement and she joined in happily, her light giggles mixed with his low chuckles.

Finally after many attempts the liquid from his wand started to get a more soup like character and an appetizing smell filled the little dungeon. Malfoy smiled proudly and something inside of her snapped.

She didn't know what it was or how it changed the way she saw him but it just did somehow. She thought that it might have been that he finally showed her the human behind his brooding or sometimes joking veneer.

She fidgeted with her wand to conceal her emotion and to her surprise it made the spell work. Hermione's bread was still quit hard, but not tooth chipping hard so she settled with what she'd gotten, not wanting to tempt faith.

"Think you got the spell right?" Malfoy nodded happily "All we need now is something to transform into bowls and we are good to go" She started to rummage around in the pile of things she had mended.

"Not the Frisbee Hermione it's going to eat the soup itself!"

"How 'bout these?" She asked and held up a pair off mittens.

"Why would Filch confiscate a pair of mittens?" He wondered and transformed them to two soup bowls with a flick of his wand.

"No idea, he so strange that man, always got something weird going on" Hermione almost inhaled the bowl of onion soup Malfoy handed her and asked for more in an instant.

"Food is awesome, thanks Draco" She smiled at him and he blushed a pretty shade of pink on his high cheekbones. He looked like such a little boy when he did that.

"Well careful so you don't turn into Weasly the way you're stuffing your face" His steel grey eyes glittered with amusement and he winked at her. _Winked!_

"And don't tell anyone I can cook" He muttered into his bowl.

"Oh god no, that'll ruin your bad ass reputation" And it was Hermione's turn to wink at him. With their belly's full and energy somewhat restored both of their moods became noticeable more cheerful.

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**Day 2, 15.39, hour 26**

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"What's the most advanced magic you know?"

"Know or can perform?"

"Perform"

"The Fidelius Charm"

"No way? Blimey Hermione"

"You sound like Ron"

"I was wondering if you could teach me something, and I do not sound like that red headed prat by the way!"

"I'll ignore that. Besides I think the Fidelius Charm will be hard, not to mention a little out of place, perhaps something else?"

"Like what? It must be really difficult"

" Why? You're such a show off sometimes Draco. How about the Patronus Charm?"

"And you're not?"

"No I am not, I am just a little dictatorial with facts, now, how's it going to be?"

"Yeah go with the Patronus"

"You do know what it does do you?"

"I'm not even going to answer that… What is your Full Body Patronus?"

"An otter"

"How fucking sugar sweet"

"Oh piss off you blond git"

"Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think mine will be?"

"A worm"

"Hahaha! You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"Not if a bunch of Dementor's were coming at us, don't think it would be so effective for some reason…"

"Do you think you could have an elephant as a Patronus?"

"Hahaha! Where do you get all that shit from Draco? Harry and Ron do it to, must be some idiotic virus attached to the Y-chromosome"

"No seriously, it would be loads better than a worm"

"Well we'll see, want to get started?"

"Not if it's going to be a worm or an elephant"

"I seriously doubt that, well?"

"Can you show me your otter?"

"Excuse me!"

"Your Patronus, can you show it to me?"

"Oh, sure"

"Wow, you're so distracted sometimes"

"I guess… _EXPECTO PATRONUM!_"

"Shit! Look at it! I want one, how did you say it? Expecto…?"

"…Patronum"

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**Day 2, 21.32, hour 32**

She watched him struggle bravely for several hours, but all he could muster was a silver haze that sometimes resembled mist. He had started out so enthusiastic, joking about the spells name and his own feverishly attempts.

She praised him all the time since his efforts were amazing considering it was his first try and he didn't have anything to practice on, but his eyes became more and more dark and his countenance more and more sullen as failure after failure presented itself.

She tried to tell him that these things took a very long time and that he was doing great but he didn't want to listen to that.

She then changed tactic and said that she was tired from all the conjuring, which was partly true, and wanted to go to bed. He had almost scared her with the manic obsession of getting the spell right but when she asked him about it she got a not-so-well articulated and angry comment back.

He acted worse than normal, worse than her and she got worried. So she decided to press him a little.

"Why is this so important? You're doing great Draco, nobody can succeed with this the first time, it's really advanced magic" She searched, wondering, for some kind of answer in his eyes but was met with ice.

"I must do it, if you and Potter can I _will_ master it" He said coldly.

"You will do it, I know you can you just need some time and faith, but why must it happened tonight?" She desperately tried to understand his motives.

"When we get out I can ask Tonks an-"

"You don't get it Hermione!" He interrupted her with a raised voice.

"I must do something of my life, I must accomplish at least to master some silly spell" He continued harshly and stalked over to his corner where he slid down the wall in defeat.

"I get it, but why-"

"NO YOU DON'T!" He shouted at the floor, his head in his hands in a posture that screamed of hopelessness.

She started walking the short distance over to him and crouched down before him. She gently touched his arm but he flinched away making her retreat her hand.

"Then explain to me... I just… I don't understand" She pleaded praying that he wouldn't shut her out. His shoulders where hanging sadly and he flexed his hands, opening and closing them in an attempt to control his emotions. His chest was heaving in heavy breaths and he clawed at his tie to release his throat from its constricting grip to make it easier to gulp down the air.

"I never… I…" He stuttered with a quiver, his large frame shaking. Hermione touched his arm again because she couldn't help herself when he was so beaten. This time he let her.

"I have never in my life succeeded with anything" Big tears were now rolling down his pale cheeks, dripping from his chin. "I'm the sorriest excuse for a seeker Hogwarts has seen in a century, I have no real friends because I'm such a stuck up dickhead, I couldn't protect my mother from that… from that fucking son of a bitch!" He spat.

"Draco-"

"No let me finish, you asked me remember?" He turned to look her straight in the eyes and it was as if she saw him for the first time. The excruciating anguish and pain she saw in his icy stare was immense. The color of his irises seemed to change like a raging autumn storm.

"I couldn't even be a good Death Eater Hermione, and that is as low as it gets, and I couldn't even do that… Always failure, always in Potters shadow and you all fucking despise me" He choked back a sob, "And _that's _why I need that spell to work, I need to be something other than a failure".

"You're not a failure Draco" She whispered taken aback by his emotional breakdown. She cupped her small hand around his cheek and slowly crept closer to him in between his outstretched legs.

"Yes I am, and I can't believe how you can think anything else of me" She was almost in his lap now.

"You made me soup" She whispered near tears herself.

"You don't despise me because I made you soup?" He asked bitterly as she held his face, wiping away the tears with her thumbs, her right one sliding over the cut on his cheek.

"Yes" He then hugged her closely and cried his heart out in the crook of her neck and she just rocked him in her arms feeling his pain. She silently wondered how she got here, doubting her feelings, starving away in the janitors storage comforting a Death Eater.

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**A/N What did you think?**


	6. Oblivion

**A/N I dont really have anything to say about this chapter, its a little wierd maybe? Well enjoy xD**

**Disclaimer: JKR owns all rights and I nothing**

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**Day 3, 6.17, hour 41**

After last night events Hermione had an uneasy feeling in her gut, almost queasy. She had fallen asleep nest to the thorn Slytherin after his last tears had fallen. But he had tossed and turned in his blankets and woken her several times.

He had said that seeing her cry made him feel uncomfortable since it was showing weakness and she could agree with that. Seeing him weak was somewhat like as if Alastor Moddy had put on a pink tutu and danced around to Celestina Warbeck.

She felt closer to him now that he had shared some of his pain with her and she didn't know if she liked it, or maybe it was her not liking to like it just out of principle. their relationship was progressing very fast, faster than she thought possible. She guessed that they were equal now since her own mental breakdown the other night. They were going crazy, both of them.

She couldn't understand though why being a failure at killing people and being a masked idiot meant so much to him, she thought it was great, but then again it lay deeper than that. Just like her own feelings towards being the 'good girl' laid deeper than just rebelling against authority and friends now when they weren't under a constant death treat.

While Malfoy slept she took some time to go through her own emotions and putting him aside for a while. She was definitely mad at Harry and Ron for not writing. She missed them; they were her brothers for Merlin's sake. She felt unimportant, set aside and ashamed over the anger that scorched inside of her for it. She remembered her argument she'd had with Ron like it was yesterday.

"_I just don't see why you would go back there Hermione, I mean we don't have to?" Ron had asked, slouching on the couch in his living room._

"_Well I don't know what else to do, I don't want to become an Auror like you and Harry and I just need more options" She explained._

"_You don't need more school for that, you're bloody brilliant and you're part of the golden trio, anyone would hire you in a heartbeat" He said with confidence._

"_I don't want the attention, it bothers me Ronald"_

"_Well what about helping people? I thought you wanted to do that" Incomprehension shined in his baby blues._

"_Of course I want to help people, but I need to help me right now" She fidgeted warily with the hem of her dress._

"_Isn't that a bit selfish of you now after the war and all?" He asked casually. _

"_What?" _

"_Yeah, there are a lot of things you could do to help people heal; thinking of yourself seems out of place, wasting your brains on yourself"_

"_Then what about me Ron? Maybe I need to heal too…" Hopelessness seeped through her like venom._

"_I just don't get it, you're famous now, you have money and you can do whatever you want,"_

"_But I don't know what I want!" He just shrugged._

"_Well we are going to Auror training anyway, regardless if you join us or not"_

"_So you don't give a shit about me then?" He looked at her with that goofish expression only he could muster sometimes._

"_No that's not it, I care I just know what I want and you don't, I can't wait for you. And what's up with the dirty mouth? It really doesn't suit a girl like you" The sincerity was clearly absent in his statement so she just turned around and walked away with a feeling of complete abandonment._

Hermione felt angry at the memory. She decided then and there that she wouldn't give a shit about what anyone thought about her anymore. Sure she was a complete mess of emotions but she was going to figure it out at her own pace, grow in her own pace.

If Ron couldn't accept that then maybe they didn't have the relationship she'd thought they had anymore. She did have the right to think about herself and she was allowed to give herself credit for her own accomplishments.

Just because she never did before didn't mean she couldn't start now. Maybe that was his problem. She had never been independent from the pair of them before. It was always 'Harry's scar' and 'Ron's' Quiddich'.

She knew that her nightmares and other more physical problems would waver with time as long as her mind got more time to process it. She decided that she wouldn't try and fight it so hard, and she would take up Malfoy on that Quiddich thing as well. Hell, she needed some new ground.

Then there was the problem with her parents. Godric how she missed them! But the sting of their betrayal still burned in her heart with a blazing fire. She thought of all the letters they'd sent each and every one discarded without being opened.

She looked over at Malfoy who was stirring in his sleep again and searched her heart for what she felt about him. Things had changed so much since she saw him at the train the first of September. Back then she couldn't believe the nerve he had to return to the school he had helped to destroy. He was one of 'them'.

Now she was uncertain, a feeling she didn't like at all. She liked facts, truths and things etched in stone.

She felt his pain as if it were her own for some reason, yesterday had broken her heart completely. She had learned to appreciate the person he was, yes he was a broken and shattered person, but a human with feelings nonetheless. He was witty, smart and handsome.

And he was just as lonely and doubting as she was. A sting of pain spread through her chest, slithering around her heart like a venomous snake when she realized that he was all she got. At least for the moment.

On the other hand maybe it wasn't so bad. If they had been two other completely different persons this might have been something to be girly exited about, but they were'nt. It was complicated. But she decided that she would give him an honest chance, whole heartedly.

She also decided to back him against the wall and question him about the choices he'd made in the past. She would try and only see him as he was now, the Malfoy she really liked, today since she knew that he was different, but she needed some reasoning. She needed logic. She would never forgive him, but maybe she would understand. Maybe.

She looked over at him and let out a little yelp when she was met by his scrutinizing grey pools, she thought he'd still be asleep.

"Where were you? It looked like you had taken a bludger to the head" His shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his chest revealing a beautifully sculptured chest and he was leaning back on his arms.

"I was thinking about you actually" She said honestly. He frowned a bit.

"About yesterday… I don't quite understand but I have decided that I will try and not to judge you anymore, as much as I can" She struggled for words and he squirmed uncomfortable.

"I am tired of all the tip toeing; I want to be honest with you because you deserve it, you proofed that to me yesterday and I know how hard that must have been for you. What I am trying to say, I think, is that I'll be there for you… If you want it…" He smiled sadly.

"Wow, did you age ten years when I was sleeping? That's some really mature stuff…" He sat up and inhaled hardly.

"This is so fucked up" She nodded in agreement.

"I mean you're Hermione Granger, part of the golden trio who defeated the Dark Lord and sent my whole circuit crumbling down" He avoided her eyes.

"You of all people should hate me and here we are trapped together and you say that you will try and not to judge me? Pure Gryffindor stupidity" Now it was her turn to frown.

"I don't think I am that Hermione anymore, and anyway it does'nt matter when it comes to this" She stated firmly. "so you say that it's wrong of me to trust that you have given up your beliefs? That you're not trying to change?"

"No, I just think it's typical of you to be so bloody kind and that is beyond me, I can wish for you to trust me all I want but would you actually do it whole heartedly? Only you can decide to do that, I am just surprised that's all" He seemed very bothered by his own words and she understood why.

She had been taught since she could walk that truth and communication was the foundation of a good relationship. All he had known was fake masks, lies and trying to hide who he was. This she concluded herself but she could bet her left foot on that it was true. She told him so and he agreed with discomfort.

"Well I know this is fucked up, I didn't expect this either" she gesticulated between them "but can we be honest with each other from now on?"

"I'll try" He answered.

"What do you mean 'this' by the way?" He copied her movements from earlier.

"Us, we confiding in each other, I… obviously we have a great need for it, and I just don't see why we should fight this connection just because we're, ehm, different… Well you seem to understand me, you don't judge" She regretted her words as soon as they flew out of her mouth and saw the look in his eyes. Maybe she had pushed this matter on him to quickly, maybe she had pushed it on herself to quickly.

_I mean I don't know what I feel about him, right?_

"I am hardly in a position of being able to judge anymore…" He licked his lips nervously. He looked so misplaced I his corner, so not like him at all, all vulnerable and confused. She realized that he neither had a clue of what was going on between them. Then suddenly he got a very determined look in his eyes, like someone had lit a candle behind his stormy grays.

"I don't care as long as you don't give up on me… Promise that you will be there then? Shit I don't like this… just promise ok? No matter what?" the determination had been accompanied with a desperate pleading.

_I'm suppose to say no to those puppy eyes?_

"Certainly, but you must promise to be honest with me, about everything, no lies" Hermione answered as she crawled over the stone floor to get closer to him. Malfoy nodded warily as she positioned herself Indian style in front of him.

"You to, right?" Hermione smiled and stretched out her hand which he took in his bigger one. They shook on it to seal the deal, whatever it was, and Hermione couldn't help put to hold his hand a heartbeat longer than necessary. A sort of awkward silence settled between them like a thick mist and they both retreated into their own worlds to think about what they just shared.

Hermione pulled out a book and pretended to read while her mind processed their conversation. She could almost feel the gears spinning. She hastily glanced over her shoulder to make sure there wasn't any steam coming out of her ears.

Ok, so she had made some sort of agreement with Malfoy, whom she tried not to like but really did like a lot, which involved them 'bonding' for a lack of better word. She remembered the great feeling of relief after she had told him about her anger towards Harry and Ron, she needed someone to talk to about her feelings, and he just happened to be the only person she felt that she could manage the presence of.

And Malfoy obviously needed to vent a bit to so she couldn't really see what was wrong with their understanding.

_He used to be a Death Eater…?_

Well did that matter? No it bloody didn't, she didn't care anymore. He was just not what she was used to and in his new humbled state she didn't feel afraid of showing her insecurity's anymore.

He seemed to take anything she gave him and he just, agreed or disagreed, calmly accepting that 'that's idiotic but it's Granger'. Unlike Ron the stupid prick, he wouldn't recognize change if it slapped him in the face!

"Do you care about me swearing?" She suddenly blurted out. Malfoy who seemed to actually read his book didn't look up.

"No, you were always such a prude before so I think it suits you" he mumbled.

_Prude?_ Yeah okay, maybe…

"Do you think I am selfish for wanting more options for myself?" She had really no idea what made her say that either. Did she need him to reassure her?

"No I think you're smart. Options are great, and you shouldn't take them for granted…" He smiled sadly.

A small tingling fuzzy feeling spread in her chest.

_Ok I guess she did need him to reassure her._

"How much cottage pie can you eat?" She asked suspiciously.

"For fucks sake, what is up with the twenty questions?" He huffed in amusement. "And I don't know, I don't even like the shit" he added and gave her an equally suspicious look before returning to his book.

_Yeah, definitely unlike Ron._

_._

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**Day 3, 16.05, hour 51**

The day progressed slowly in their little prison and Hermione felt the insanity stroke her in her neck as they tried to occupy themselves with something to do. The small matters of personal hygiene and food was simple fixed with magic which was easier than she thought it would have been when they just had gotten trapped.

She had used the _Scouring Charm_ to clean herself but found herself longing for a real shower and something else to eat but onion soup.

They had talked a lot about their feelings and loneliness. Malfoy's mother was apparently in St. Mungo's for the time and he missed her immensely. He had also been to a labor camp over the summer as punishment for his involvement in the war which explained his new more muscular form.

Ha had reasoned that it was fair, and it was way better than Azkaban and yet again she saw the guilt gnawing in him as he spoke.

Of course she had to pry it out of him since he was still reluctant to sharing personal things with her but had honored his promise to be honest with her. She had also answered all his questions honestly but had sneakily changed subject when they got to deep into the matter of her parents. She had told him almost the entire truth. She wasn't ready to pull that thing out of the pain box yet.

After the war she found it safe to go to Australia and look for them and had found them on a crocodile farm outside of Perth.

The angry and accusing scolding she had gotten was not expected. Apparently tampering with their memories to protect them from her world's most evil wizard was a bad idea according to her mother. Her father had said that her magic was starting to become a burden and that she was getting disrespectful.

"Didn't they realize you saved their lives?" Malfoy asked frowning.

"Yeah but he still said he wished he got a normal daughter who couldn't cause him these sort of troubles, not a witch" Hermione had expected a snaring comment on the barbaric nature of muggles from him but he just said that they were probably just upset and that they would make up when given time to forget.

"It's not that simple" She groaned frustrated into her hands.

"Then tell me?"

"They said that, -" She had almost let it slip what she wanted to tell him. The main problem to why she was hurting and the thing that needed to come out before it ate her alive but she couldn't.

"Everyone fights with their parents Hermione, I am sure you will solve it"

"Well I can't do it this time!" She spat.

"Why?" He knitted his light brows together in confusion. "You know you can tell me right?"

"No I can't because you will think differently about me" He almost laughed at her which made her even angrier.

"Why the hell would I think differently of you because you told me about a row you had with your parents? What could possibly have happened that is worse than the things I have done?" Actually he was right, she thought, and was tempted to give in and tell him.

But then a fear spread through her, chilling her veins and she just couldn't. She couldn't lose this newfound friendship-relationship thingy she had started with Malfoy; she needed him to be alone with her.

"Never mind" He shrugged, but she could see that he would press her about it another time just like she had done with him. She feared that moment.

She wanted to cry again.

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**A/N I know this was a filler but soon things will start to stirr xD I have also noticed that my chapters are getting longer. I wanted to keep them short and sweet in the beginning but now I don't know anymore, what do you guys think? Feedback? :P**


	7. End of the Beginning

**A/N This chapter is much about how Hermione gets to know Draco a bit more, it is important for the whole story that you know how much he has changed.**

**Disclaimer: JKR owns everything and I own a bunch of really irritating banana flies making my life a living hell :D**

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**Day 3, 21.00, hour 56**

Hermione sat absentminded and thought about a conversation they had a couple of hours ago. The feelings which it had emitted in her was not what she had expected at all, and the funny thing was that it didn't bother her anymore. She had finally mustered the nerve to ask him about his past. He had been most reluctant at first but after a while the words had come streaming over his lips, as if he felt good about lightening his heart.

"_I was so fucking naive you know? The first time I called you _that_ word I actually thought that muggle born's had mud in their blood" He chuckled bitterly. "I was just repeating the words of my father and soaking up all the prejudices like an ignorant little sponge."_

"_When I was really little I was friends with a muggle called Robin, of course I knew that I was a wizard and he wasn't but children don't care about those things." Hermione nodded. _

"_But I felt sorry for him you know? He wouldn't be able to do all those amazing things that I would when I came of magical age. He would miss out on amazing wonders and cool mysterious things. Magic is might; it's marvelous, magnificent, stunning. I couldn't wait until I got my wand and he wouldn't be able to share that fantastic thing with me, so we grew apart… "_

"_You know if I would conceive a child with a muggle or a muggle born, my biggest fear would be for that child to not get the gift of magic. And that is why, I think at least, why it was so easy for me to be misled."_

_Hermione thought about what he told her, she had never thought of it that way before. She completely loved magic, and she agreed with most of the things he said. But she didn't fully understand the irrational fear he had._

_What if she would become pregnant and carry an un-magical child? Give birth to a squib? Would she love the baby as much as if it would have had magical powers? Of course she would! She told him this in a lecturing tone while he listened with interest._

"_Of course I agree with you Hermione, but I would forever pity that child, love it unconditionally, but I would pity it for the things it would miss out on". She tried to find something wrong with his opinion but couldn't, there was nothing wrong with what he felt, in fact a lot of wizards and witches felt the same way. It wasn't evil or distorted to want the best for your child, and being a squib in the magical world was not the best for a child, it was quite hard._

"_But what about muggles? Do you think you are superior to them?" She asked trying to get further into their discussion._

"_Of course-" Hermione gave him a shocked expression so he hurried on "-but not in a patronizing or dominating way!" _

"_I mean they are not lower creatures or stupid or anything like that, it's just like with the child. I pity them for missing out, you can't blame them for being born a certain way, it's just, they are not magical." His hands moved in sync vividly with his words as he explained with enthusiasm._

"_I mean superior in a matter of factly way. What would you do if a muggle pointed a weapon at you, what are they called?-"_

"_A gun" She filled in._

"_-Yeah a gun, what would you do?" Hermione rolled her eyes as she realized where he was going with the argument._

"_I would stop the bullet with a freezing charm, of course, and yes I admit that a wand is a far more superior weapon against muggle guns." She slowly understood what he was trying to say. And she couldn't blame him for thinking that way either since she agreed. _

_Magic made things so much easier; all the mundane task of everyday life became joyful instead, like doing the dishes for example. But then again this didn't rationalize the ideas and beliefs that some wizards had, like Malfoy used to have. But since he didn't feel that way anymore it didn't matter. _

_Then another interesting thought sprung to her mind. Magical people were actually quite lazy, as soon as someone had forgotten their wand (or it had been taken away) you couldn't hear the end of the complaints of doing things the muggle way. _

_Maybe prejudiced wizards and witches just didn't want to be taken for the layabout's and slackers they were? Malfoy couldn't stop laughing at that and when he finally stopped he was wiping tears from his amused eyes._

"_You know what? I really think you're on to something" He let out another chuckle and then sighted._

"What is the Latin word for 'strawberry'?" Malfoy's voice broke her out of her memory.

"_Fragaria_ something… Why?" He shifted his position a little bit. They were both sitting down next to each other, leaning against the wall with their legs stretched out in front of them lazily.

"I am tired of onion soup, thought we could try something new"

"Sure" She answered, but was still halfway inside the conversation they had before. She really understood now why Dumbledore never gave up on Draco; he was just a corrupted child, used and tossed like a dishrag. And he and his mother had to pay the price.

She reasoned that Lucius Malfoy once must had been a charming young man with radical ideas and thought it no strange that Draco's mother would fall in love with him. You couldn't choose who you would get feelings for. She glanced at Malfoy who slowly tapped his wand between his knees, experimenting with the strawberry spell.

She no longer felt any hate towards the young Slytherin. How could she hate him when she had gotten to know him so well? He was actually quite wonderful. She felt only pity. And she no longer felt ashamed over the warm fuzzy feeling in her chest that would spread in her body every time he made her laugh. She didn't want to fight what she was feeling neither did she care anymore if it was right or wrong.

"Why do you hate Harry so much? And why did you hate me?" She asked and watched the blond young man struggle with the reddish liquid that seeped from his wand.

"I don't hate Potter anymore, he fucking saved my life, but I sure did for a long time. It started out in first year when he rejected me, he saw straight trough me from the beginning. And being the spoilt brat I was, well, it didn't fly with me. I admit that I have a little flare for drama and attention." Hermione gave him a sly glance and he chuckled.

"Okay, okay a big flare. But you couldn't get any with him in the same room, the boy who fucking lived, and it made me think that if I could get rid of him I would get some. And he was so fucking nosy!" She had to give him that, Harry had driven her mad several times when he just couldn't let go of things.

"I couldn't do a thing without him poking his glasses in my bloody pumpkin juice! He will be a brilliant Auror that prick, for sure. My dad always pressured me to be the best, to never do wrong and never show weakness. But it didn't matter how hard I tried because he was never satisfied, always fuming about Potters headlines. When I got older I understood that it had to do with the Dark Lord wanting him dead, but then it was too late. All I wanted was attention you know? A little praise for my achievements?" Hermione nodded. The reddish liquid started to get thicker and pour in a heavier stream.

"Fuck, I got loads of daddy issues…. But it was all so innocent until forth year when Diggory got killed, and that's when I got caught in the mess, I didn't have a clue of what my father had done before that. That lot is not easily forgiving so when I was in I couldn't get out, which I wanted to straight away"

"And then the Dark Lord broke my aunt out of Azkaban and all hell broke loose when she moved in at the manor, sometimes I think that she was crazier than the Dark Lord himself…" He sighted in despair and she noticed that immense pain in his eyes again.

Somehow she knew that he thought of when Bellatrix had tortured her to the break of insanity in his home, and he hadn't been able to do a damn thing about it. She had never held it against him though but also knew that it didn't matter because there was no punishment in the world that would be worse than the one he was giving himself about it. He was forever trapped with the guilt and that was enough.

There was no need for them to discuss such horrid matters anymore. He tapped his wand without thinking and suddenly the whole room got showered in strawberry cream, the red sticky paste covering everything.

Hermione started to laugh and tried to wipe the dessert away from her eyes, they were both completely drenched. Soon Draco joined her.

"I think you got the spell right" She giggled as they started to clean the mess.

"I wouldn't say that" He joked a little shocked. He then swiped his finger over her cheek to get some left over cream of and put it in his mouth.

"At least I got the taste right" He winked and Hermione felt her knees go a little bit weak and her heart rate go up. They sat down in their previous position again and a comfortable silence erupted. After a couple of minutes he spoke again and picked up where he had left of in their previous conversation.

"It's my aunt's fault I've got that brand you know?" He muttered bitterly and rubbed his left forearm. He didn't want it? No he couldn't have had, he was just a bloody kid, although Dumbledore had known that all along.

And she herself had always thought that Draco's murder attempts had been very feeble. She now knew how fucking smart he was, and if he really would have wanted to kill the former headmaster, he would have. He just got lost.

"Can I see it?" She asked carefully.

"No, but knowing you, you won't shut up about it so whatever…" He started to roll up his sleeve to expose the dark ink etched into his pale flesh. A snake and a skull. Hermione quickly turned over to crouch next to him to feed her curiosity. It was disgusting, but she would probably never get a chance to look at one this close again.

"The magic still works you know?" He said mortified.

"What?"

"If I touch it with my wand all the others will be notified, feel it burn…" Her big hazels gazed at him and she bore a horrified expression.

"Sometimes someone does it to fuck with all the others, that's why I have been so jumpy… Sick bastards… I am trying to move on and they won't let me… you can tell right?" She nodded quickly to give him her consent, still with wide eyes.

She took his big hand in her small one and stroked it while she turned his arm around so the tattoo faced upwards. She caressed the skin around it, which made him break out in goose bumps and for a while and neither of them spoke.

She hovered her hand above the offending mark and glanced at him inquiringly. He gave a brief nod. She had permission to touch it.

Oh so slowly she reached for the touch with the marked skin and he watched her intently, licking his lips in anticipation. The room was deadly quiet except for their breathing. As soon as she made contact he yelled out a loud cry which made Hermione jump several feet in the air and shriek piercingly in fear. But before she had time to wonder what she'd done Malfoy doubled over in laughter.

Pressing a hand on her razing heart she stared at the silver haired Slytherin as he rolled around on the floor gulping for air between his fits.

_That stupid fucking prick!_

"That is your idea of fun? I am having a bloody heart attack over here you fucking twat!" She turned around and marched straight into her corner taking big calming breaths of air.

"You should have seen your - face! You jumped like -, six feet, it was brilliant!" He hissed between laughter. It wasn't even that anymore, she couldn't determine if he was crying or laughing or choking.

"Well I'm glad someone is having fun in this fucking asylum" She muttered angrily and started sulking. Malfoy crawled over to her still a bit taken from his laugh attack.

"Come on Hermione it was just a joke" She refused to look him in the eye which was becoming quite difficult since he was now sitting right in front of her. He the cupped her chin and turned her face towards his and spoke with a deep sincerity.

"I am sorry ok? Please forgive me" His big blue gray eyes pulled her in and she got a little lost in them.

"You know what it's like to be branded like this? To have something permanently and irremovable on your skin constantly reminding you of your biggest mistakes? If I can't joke about it, have a laugh, I will go crazy…" He caressed her cheeks tenderly and she sighted in defeat and leaning into his touch.

"Fine, I'll blame it on the y-chromosome virus" He smiled. She expected him to remove his hands but he didn't. She didn't want him to either since his touch made her feel content.

They looked at each other searching each other's eyes for answers to what these strange feelings meant. The intensity was almost unbearable and the relief was instant when he suddenly kissed her. It was a small kiss, his lips brushing hers softly leaving a trace of fire lingering. He dropped his hands and broke it and Hermione tried to see some evidence in his eyes of remorse or regret but couldn't find it.

"Why did you do that?" She whispered and touched her lips were his had been just moments ago.

"Why not?" He answered.

_Yeah, definitely going crazy here._

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**Day 4, 01.07, hour 60**

_She was walking after Harry and trying to catch his arm in a feeble attempt to turn him around. He just kept on walking ignoring her completely. She stopped and felt the despair fill her._

"_Please just talk to me…" She whispered hoarsely. He kept on walking. She then raised her wand with a trembling arm and hexed him. To her surprise he stopped and turned around._

"_Thank you Harry-" She started, grateful for his attention, but he put a hand over her mouth, silencing her effectively. He then spun her around so that her back was against his chest and rubbed her arms soothingly. With a low whisper in her ear he said:_

"_There is the person you ought to be hexing" And he pointed at a young blond man that suddenly had appeared before her eyes in the swirling mist. Malfoy's beautiful kind eyes looked at her with anticipation and he smiled that crooked grin she loved so much._

"_Now Hermione" Harry incited in her ear, so she raised her wand again but this time with a steady hand. The magic in it crackled and spread out over her hand, wrist and arm, making her feel sure of what she was about to do. Malfoy's granite eyes turned sad at once as if he had expected her to do so. But in a flash of green they became lifeless._

_Avada Kedavra…_

She opened her eyes in horror of her vivid dream with her chest heaving in panic. Her long curly strands were plastered to her face from sweat and she couldn't see a damn thing in the darkness. Oh Merlin! She had killed Malfoy!

This dream was really different from the others since she usually just became disgusted with herself for using one of the unforgivable's, but she always knew that the people she cursed would be okay. But it had really felt like she had killed him. It had been way to real.

Without hesitation she quickly crawled over in the dark feeling her way forth not bothering with her wand. She had to know he was ok. Her right hand then felt his blanket clad shoulder and she curled up against his back. She reached out with one hand around his chest with a trembling hand. A steady strong rhythm of his heartbeats thumped against her palm. She relaxed a bit but started to cry when the tension let go.

He stirred a bit and turned around to wrap his arms around her.

"Nightmare?" He murmured as she fell in the comfort of his embrace. He had just hugged her like it was the most natural and obvious thing to do but she didn't have time to wonder about it, she was just glad that he was alive.

She kissed his chest and neck feverishly to show him how she felt. She trembled like a leaf and he started to rub soothing circles on her back which slowly made her calm down from her frantic state. She tried to keep her hands still, but somehow they just returned to press themselves against his heart, as if they had a will of their own.

She was still in a horror stricken shock and the remains of the nightmare left her mind racing, thoughts swirling around just out of reach for her.

She couldn't believe she had killed Malfoy. And Harry had told her to. She could imagine herself facing the world outside without him anymore, and the thought of losing him when they'd had so little time together was almost painful. She knew it had only been a dream but somehow it had awakened something inside of her. She had started to like their little bubble, protected from the scrutinizing judgment the outside world always inflicted upon them.

Just sixty hours had turned her former nemesis into a very important person to her and she was a little struck by the realization as he hugged her. She tried to just revel in his touch and let his masculine smell comfort her and pretty soon her mind was almost completely calmed. Soon he was back to sleep but he never let her go and she was able to follow him after some time.

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**A/N Next chapter should be up quite soon since it is half finished. I am toying with the idea of giving you a Draco POV too :P Anyone interested in that?**


	8. Savior

**A/N This is a long one for you, I hope you will enjoy the experimenting with the different styles i mixed in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of the original plot or characters borrowed to make this fic, JKR does.  
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**Day 4, 10.39, hour 69**

When she opened her eyes he was looking at her. The unspoken question hung in the air, almost infecting it, and Hermione stared straight back into his stormy grays, waiting for him to speak up.

She was a little uncomfortable with the fact that she had just crashed his sleeping arrangement and then shared it uninvited, not to mention that she woke him up in the middle of the night when he finally had fallen asleep.

Or to be honest, she was uncomfortable since she didn't know how he would take it now that they had woken up together.

She missed the natural and easygoing feeling they had shared only a few hours ago as she watched the uncertainty grow like weed in his eyes. He tucked a stray lock of her hair back behind her ear.

"What did you dream about?" Now there it was, the question that made the tension become almost sliceable.

"It was awful" she whispered and turned to face him fully.

"Yeah I figured as much since you came over here completely terrified" Hermione blushed in shame at her own boldness but to her surprise Malfoy smirked at her. He then took her in his arms again and started rubbing her back gently just like he had done during the night.

The sudden awkwardness disappeared at once and the feeling of comfort and safety she had craved returned at once. It was actually pretty weird how good it felt.

"I killed you in my dream" she spoke, her voice a little muffled since her mouth was pressed against his chest. She felt him stiffen a little but he instantly relaxed again.

"Are you mad at me Hermione?" he chuckled lightly.

"No not at all" her answer came in a small voice.

"Maybe it is your subconscious trying to tell you otherwise?" She really appreciated that he tried to make her laugh, just lighten her mood a little, and almost succeeded to.

"I hope it's not." She exhaled. "It usually is like that but I never had a dream about you before" she peered up at him from under her lashes. He met her eyes with concern.

"Actually I thought it would be something about your parents" he stated carefully and hugged her tighter. Merlin it felt so wonderful to have him so close! She almost wanted to crawl into his chest if she could.

"You're going to go all nosy Gryffindor about it now, wont you?" she huffed a little annoyed and snuggled deeper into the crook of his neck, planning on staying there.

"I would never stoop that low! I'm just going to demand it and you will give it to me" She then bit him a little on his neck. Not a blood drawing seizing of the teeth, just a little nibble to give him the idea of what she thought about his comment. She couldn't see his eyes or face but somehow she knew that he smiled.

"Seriously though, this thing bothers you a lot, why can't you just tell me and be done with it?" he asked in an indeed more gravely tone.

"Dracooo…" she whined into his neck, but he wouldn't have it at all and pulled away from her leaving her with nothing but blankets.

"You promised me you would be honest with me" his lips where looking like a straight line and his movements were a bit harsh as he put his shirt on.

"Yeah but like I said, that matter is complicated, and the dream was about you, remember?" she sighted in defeat.

"Fuck the dream, I want to know what's keeping you on your toes, how else am I suppose to 'help' you or whatever if you don't tell me? Did you torture them or something? Did they kill your kitten?" his angry air quotes made her wonder again about the slightly odd and undefined agreement they had shook on.

That was exactly why she couldn't just tell him what her parents had done to her.

She had somehow become dependent on the relationship she had with the young Slytherin, and she dreaded that he would not treat her the same way if he would get that piece of information.

Then there was the fact that she didn't have a clue what kind of relationship they had anymore. They were not enemies anymore. He wasn't just a friend from school either since their interactions had taken them way beyond ordinary friendship nor were they 'in love'.

Malfoy wasn't a mate in the way Harry and Ron was, like best mates, but settled onto a more 'you totally and completely get me like no one else does' category.

She didn't want to call him a friend either because of the more romantic reciprocal actions they had exchanged.

She knew she was attracted to the platinum haired boy but it wasn't all hot and sweaty, she just felt so content and calm in his presence.

She liked him just the way he was and assumed that that was the case if she asked him about her too, with blood purity and prejudices put aside. So if she revealed that one part he might see her in a different way and she couldn't take that.

She wanted her therapeutic Malfoy.

She didn't want him to get mad at her so she told him all of this whilst she cried her eyeballs out.

"You're attracted to me?" he asked carefully when she was done sniffling and wiping her nose in the blanket.

"There's that bloody y-chromosome thing again" she rolled her eyes "so typically male to hear only the least important part-". He just waved that of with an arrogant smirk.

"-But yeah of course I am" He transported himself back to her to resume their previous position when she had explained herself.

"This is so fucked up" He murmured and kissed the top of her head. Hermione couldn't agree more. If someone would have told her just two months ago that she would be snuggling with Draco Malfoy in Filch's old storage room she would probably have laughed them straight in the face.

"Yeah but I don't care anymore, I have no idea what's going on with me, I am trying not to change but every time I look at myself I find myself different, and you just didn't know me that well before and you don't care either. That's the greatest gift someone could give me right now. Not judging me, not expecting anything from me etc" she explained what was on her mind to him.

"I know what you mean, I am trying so fucking hard to not be an asshole anymore and you are the only person that has been nice to me, I can't let that go" he span forward into the same subject.

Hermione kissed his neck and soon his mouth found hers and they began a make out session that would have rivaled Ron and Lavender's back in sixth year.

As with everything else they had been trough together, this also came quite naturally, as if they had always done that and weren't former mortal enemies.

The thing was that she didn't feel that desperate fire inferno that had erupted within her when he had kissed her yesterday.

These kisses filled her with another kind of passion, slowly and steadily burning, comforting her on a whole new level. Because that was what it was. Their relationship was all about trying to comfort and help each other when no one else could or would.

And the more she touched him the better it felt, so it felt only natural for them to proceed to this new plane of showing affection, if that was what they had been doing at all in the first place. And even though they were snogging there was a strange absence of sexual arousal.

She didn't care, she just let herself relish in the feeling of being kissed, touched and soothingly eased by Malfoy's exploring hands and lips.

She couldn't help to feel a little bit like a naughty girl too, since she was technically fraternizing with the enemy. She liked the feeling.

It was also strange how the blond boy, on who's chest she was currently lying onto, used to make her so self aware and insult her looks and now she didn't have a single thought in her head about such trivial things because he made her feel so good about herself. Talk about complete turnaround.

After a couple of hours she fell asleep again with all thoughts of nightmares and parents kissed into nothingness.

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**Day 4, 15.05 hour 74**

This time when she woke Malfoy was yet again awake and up before her. She had no idea if he actually had fallen asleep at all. She sat up and wrapped the thick blanket around her and peered at him with sleepy eyes. When he noticed she was up he completely beamed at her with a face splitting grin plastered on his pale face.

"Look what I have made!" and pointed to nearly two dozen of mismatched bowls and cups. Raising her interest she came over to him and eyed them with great curiosity.

"I borrowed your Latin dictionary, hope you don't mind" he said excitedly.

"No" she answered baffled when she saw the many sorts of creams in various colors.

"And I made gum too!" He popped a bubble to drive the point home. She smiled at him sweetly totally enjoying his moment of childish happiness. How very Malfoyish of him to turn out to be good at the only thing she was a complete disaster at, having a flare for inventing cooking spells.

Well, they had almost run out of things to do and the boredom probably drove him into doing it.

He made her taste all of it, which was for the most part enjoyable, but she had frowned in suspicion when he had tried to goad her into eating his chocolate and mayonnaise bread.

"I think I can live without knowing how that one tastes" Her eyes resting warily upon the innocent piece of loaf.

"Come on, don't be such a pussy"

"No I don't want to, and don't make me" she huffed while he waved the bread in front of her sealed lips.

"Stop it Draco, I'll swear to Merlin I'll hex you!" She exclaimed and fled his long arms. Then a very peculiar thing flashed in his eyes. It was so faint that she almost didn't recognize it for what it was, but for a moment fear had shined through behind the gray.

Just like when she had defended him outside the door when Dean had his wand pressed against his chest.

"What was that?" she asked at once.

"What was what?"

"That look in your eyes when I said I'll hex you?" he must have known it was an empty threat and only just a joke because he had never been afraid of her once the entire time they had been in the storage room.

"Nothing" he said nervously "If you don't want to taste it its fine" he tossed the loaf away and started fidgeting with his wand.

"No, no, no that was exactly the thing you did in the hall before, since when have you been afraid of a Bat-Boogie threat?" she snatched his wand away, which demanded that he laid his attention on her. She was actually concerned.

"Well I know that you are, let's say capable of putting such words into action, and I just- Well I would rather not be experiencing that"

"What do you mean?" she coaxed.

"You know what it feels to get _Crucio'd_, I had a lot of such things at the camp, so…" He said silently and refused to look at her. She took notice of that this information was only given to her now because he honored their promise to be honest with one another.

"They tortured you at camp?" she asked with both horror and disbelief. He nodded an answer and gulped uncomfortable.

_Wow, the Ministry are such hypocrites. Well that totally explains a lot then._

Their former cheerful spirits were gone as if a gush of wind had blown them away. Malfoy then suddenly spoke with a dedication she had no idea where it came from.

"You know how I never answered why I hated you before? Well that's because it sort of relates to this. I was jealous of you. Not only did you have friends that were loyal to you and loved you, you were –well are, smart and sit on an assload of knowledge. And from where I come from that means dangerous. The more you can do and know, the more dangerous you are."

This statement was shocking to her and she was left speechless, unable to think of one thing to say.

Sure she knew her way around some good battle spells but come on?

The only thing she had done to ever come close to hurting Malfoy was when she punched his nose in third year, and with their newfound fondness of each other she doubted that it would happen again.

She didn't press him more; she actually didn't want to know. He had always been a little bit of a coward, not wanting to put himself at risk and always had his cronies do all the dirty work. But on the other hand being held hostage by Voldemort himself sure scared you in that way.

He had been so afraid for him and his family he probably didn't have a choice.

But to flinch every time a bloody third year glanced at you, no that kind of fear for conflict was just not okay. She made a mental note of trying to get his confidence up, to protect him.

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**Day 4, 22.32, hour 81**

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"Remember when you wanted me to teach you the Patronus Charm?"

"Mhmmff…"

"Come on, don't be such a baby!"

"Don't be such a gleeful, stuck up 'rub failure in my face'"

"That was not the intention at all, you are just being a baby, and I was wondering if you could teach me something in return?"

"Oh"

"Yeah, 'oh'"

"Well I don't think I know anything that you don't already know"

"Don't be smart, you preformed the _Serpensortia _spell in second year!"

"So you want to learn that one?"

"No I know that one"

"Well Hermione, then I probably don't know anything that you would want to learn"

"Try me"

"Tsk, tsk, such a Gryffindor, how about _Fiendfyre_?"

"Merlins beard!"

"That's what I thought, how about _Occlumency_ then?"

"Yeah maybe, but Harry always said it was awful…"

"But that's because Snape raped his mind, it's not suppose to work that way"

"Okay sure, but not now"

"Then why the hell would you ask if you didn't want to do it now?"

"I am bored Draco"

"And I'm not?"

"Don't read my mind…"

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**Day 5, 10.13, hour 91**

It was official. She had finally been driven loopy. She might as well start drooling and hop around on one leg singing 'Do the Hippogriff'. She was slowly turning the pages of Malfoy's Quiddich Weekly and actually enjoying, and more disturbingly understanding, what she read.

There was absolutely nothing to do, nothing but to sit there and feel age pat her on the cheek like a mean old aunt.

Malfoy was searching the room for the umpteenth time, for all she knew, in vain. He wouldn't find anything new, nothing to fix, read or occupy his attention with. But still he rummaged around making little clattering noises and creating small gushes of air to whirl when he stalked about the small place.

That is why Hermione listened intently when he hadn't made a noise for some time. This made her curious and she looked up from a picture of an irritated Galvin Gudgeon, the seeker of the Chudley Cannons on which Malfoy had drawn a mustache and a beard.

His broad back was turned against him and his head hung a little. He didn't move.

_He actually found something?_

"Please share this utter and complete excitement with me" She joked, but he didn't laugh.

"What? did you find a jar of green time speeding dust? Speak up boy" She put the magazine away and got up.

"Something like that…" He murmured in a low voice.

"Don't be smart" But he wasn't at all because as she walked around him she saw a tiny jar of blue dust clutched in his large hands. He had this weird expression, like he had been hit with a too strong memory charm, gazing at nothing. Hermione froze with a puzzled face.

"Draco…" Saying his name obviously ripped him out of his trance.

"I knew the other one was mine, but I thought it would be unique, I almost shit my pants when I saw this one" He gazed down on her still holding the jar convulsively.

"Don't drop that jar" Hermione said nervously. One or two hours left, tops, of the time spell and they would be out of this mini prison. She couldn't take the risk of staying any longer, or she would go completely mad. She slowly caressed his forearms.

"Why not?" He asked still a little dazed.

"Are you crazy Draco? Another five days in this hell hole of a closet? Why would you even think that?" She tried to talk calmly to him since there was something in his eyes that made her think that he would actually drop it.

She didn't want to upset him, or disturb him or do anything until that jar was somewhere else.

"What if things change between us when we get out?" His features were beautiful in their anguished arrangement.

_Yeah, that little thing._

Hermione had thought a lot about that to. Was it that they were drawn to each other just because there wasn't anybody else there? They were forced to? They were hormonal teenagers after all.

Could their already shaky and undetermined relationship take the cruel and judgmental world that would be waiting for them out there? She had no idea.

The storage room had sheltered them from all that crap. The room had wrapped them into a bubble, safely protecting them and letting them explore each other in peace and quiet with nothing to interfere. They had survived together. They had created their own time in there.

Would it change the way they felt about each other?

"I don't care about what people think" was her answer and it was honest to the bone.

"Will you still see me then?" He asked and put the jar down, thank Merlin, and wrapping his arms around her.

"Yes of course" She said throatily, tearing up with emotions which she had no idea where they came from.

"You won't give up on me?" He looked at her with that desperate fire again, his blue-gray eyes like charcoal.

"No" She said firmly and cupped her small hands around his face.

"Kiss me" She breathed.

There was the tiniest speck of doubt visible in his eyes before he closed them shut and obeyed her command. Their lips had barely touched before he took control and gently pried her lips apart to help himself to her tongue.

The kiss quickly became heated as they slowly and passionately mangled their tongues together, deepening it as much as possible. They were panting in no time. Draco finally broke them apart and held her face in his hands as he stroked her cheeks with large thumbs.

They shared a determined and unbroken look, and neither of them moved for several moments. Draco then smiled, smoothing out the worried creases that had been lingering in his young face. He packed down the jar in his bag and mumbled something about it coming in handy later.

"I want you to read my mind now" Hermione blurted out while he had his back turned. After that kiss, which had made her head spin with content, she had to tell him. She didn't want to hide it from him anymore, he deserved to know, deserved to be able to choose for himself if he wanted her anymore.

"Are you sure? Is this about your parents?" He got what it was about straight away.

"Please Draco, just do it" she felt the treacherous tears blur her vision. He cupped her face gently and kissed her and she focused all her attention on the memory of small Australian motel room, when her whole world had changed, when the definition of her being and spirit had been shattered completely by her father's harsh words.

She could feel him clutch his wand behind her neck.

"_Legilimens_" he murmured against her lips and suddenly he was there in her mind, everywhere he was. She couldn't hide a thing from him. And he went straight to the memories she didn't want him to see but needed him to.

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**A/N Okay I'm going to work now, and when I get home I want some reviews :D Can you guess what has happened to Hermione? Oh and I am totally working on that Draco POV :P**

**Btw, anyones got any tips on getting rid of banana flies? They are driving me insane! :D**


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